Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and his wife pastor Dorcas Rigathi celebrated the new year with thousands of inmates at King'ong'o Maximum, Medium and Women GK prison in Nyeri county.

Gachagua, who was accompanied by leaders from Nyeri county, spent the day dubbed 'King'ong'o prison New Year Service and Party' sharing a meal with the inmates.

He promised them that reforms planned by the government would ease their lives.

"During the campaigns, the leaders from the Azimio coalition had vowed to jail me in King'ong'o prison if they had assumed power and that is why I felt it is important to share and celebrate the new year with the inmates," he said.

Gachagua said that the Kenya Kwanza administration will institute reforms in correctional facilities to ensure that once released prisoners will have courses that will help them in future.

"As a government, I can confirm that we are coming out with reforms and relevant courses that will be beneficial to you we want that when you leave here you are integrated back into the community and you have something to show for years spent in correctional facilities," Gachagua said

Gachagua promised the prisoners and staff that the government would put up machinery that would ensure the prison is self-sufficient in the provision of food and further sell the surplus to Kenya Police College.

The DP also donated 1000 mattresses and blankets to the facility.

Pastor Dorcas Rigathi on her part while delivering the sermon told prisoners not to lose hope due to their jail terms and urged them to reform and be responsible members of society.

This is the fourth prison Pastor Dorcas Rigathi is visiting in realisation of her vision of 'A Dignified Future for Vulnerable Populations' that includes the boy child and men in Kenya.

The other prisons she has visited are Kiambu, Chuka and Rumuruti.